Water mattress support

ABSTRACT

A support for containing a water-filled mattress. The support comprises a vertical walled frame containing a free-standing modular deck grid which supports the water-filled mattress. The water-filled mattress is nested within a vinyl liner weich is secured to the upper periphery of the walled frame and covers a flat, planar floor member which rests upon the modular deck grid. The walled frame, the modular deck grid, and the floor member provide means for containing and distributing the weight of the water-filled mattress uniformly across the entire area of the support.

United States Patent 1 1 Kuss [ Oct. 2, 1973 WATER MATTRESS SUPPORT [75] Inventor: Ralph L. Kuss, Findlay, Ohio [73 I Assignee: R. L. Kuss & Co., lnc., Findlay, Ohio [22] Filed: Sept. 13, 1971 [2|] Appl. No.: 179,725

{52] US. Cl. 5/348 WB, 5/91 [51 Int. Cl. A47c 27/08 [58] Field of Search 5/348, 349, 350,

5/348 WB, 91; 229/l5, 28 R, 42; 220/22; 108/58 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,585,356 6/1971 Hall 5/348 WB 3,469,542 9/1969 Ahlenius.... 108/58 X 1,102,930 7/1914 Kopf 217/18 3,566,556 3/1971 Nichols 52/71 353,225 ll/l886 Jenkins et al. 229/42 Primary Examiner-Bernard A. Gelak Assistant Examiner-Andrew M. Calvert AtlorneyCarl F. Schaffer et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A support for containing a water-filled mattress. The support comprises a vertical walled frame containing a free-standing modular deck grid which supports the water-filled mattress. The water-filled mattress is nested within a vinyl liner weich is secured to the upper periphery of the walled frame and covers a flat, planar floor member which rests upon the modular deck grid. The walled frame, the modular deck grid, and the floor member provide means for containing and distributing the weight of the water-filled mattress uniformly across the entire area of the support.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDBBT 2191s INVENTOR: HALPHL. Kuss.

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Water-filled mattresses, commonly known as water beds, are made generally of a mattress-size, flexible, watertight envelope. Water beds are usually placed on a floor and filled in place with water. The fluid nature of the flexible water filled envelope provides a desired cushioning effect to the water bed. Due to the lack of structural rigidity in the filled mattress, however, the bed tends to sag and bulge under the weight of the water contained in the envelope. Because the weight of a water mattress is substantial, (a filled double sized mattress, for example, weighs about 1,510 pounds), great stresses are placed upon the mattress sidewalls creating consequent potential for rupture of the watertight envelope.

The weaknesses in the sidewalls of the water mattress have been largely eliminated by providing a vertical walled frame, complementary in size with the filled watertight envelope, for supporting the walls. My copending application Ser. No. 159,748 filed July 6, 1971 for example, discloses such a frame for a water mattress supported by a levelable pedestal. It has been found that it is necessary, however, to evenly distribute the weight of the water mattress resting within the frame. At the same time, it is desirable to maintain the level of the mattress well above the floor generally at a height equal to that of a conventional bed for easy ingress and fast egress.

A difficulty with supporting the mattress above the floor has been that the weight of the filled envelope exerts a tremendous downward force concentrating on, for example, a pedestal or conventional legs of the mattress frame. The present invention eliminates this problem by providing a frame containing a modular deck grid for supporting the mattress and uniformly distributing its weight over the area of the floor under the water bed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is a support for containing a waterfilled mattress. The support comprises a vertical walled frame member containing a free standing modular deck grid and the water 'filled mattress. The interior area of the frame member is substantially co-extensive with the water-filled mattress to be placed therein. The deck grid comprises a series of intersecting cardboard or like material support members which extend across the interior area of the vertical walled frame. The intersecting members of the support grid define a series of integral cells within the walled support frame. A planar floor member extends substantially over the deck grid. A flexible waterproof liner secured around the upper periphery of the walled frame and resting upon the floor member provides a watertight barrier above the deck grid. The water-filled mattress is nested in the liner. The walled frame, the deck grid, and the floor member provide means for containing and distributing the mass of the water-filled mattress uniformly across the entire area of the support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of the mattress containing support of the present invention with parts broken away;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view ofa deck grid ofthe present invention in a partially collapsed position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the deck grid in a collapsed position; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a floor member of the present invention in a partially folded position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, a support 10 for containing a water-filled mattress I2 is shown. The support 10 comprises a vertical walled frame Ill, the interior dimensions of which are generally co-extensive with the dimensions of a water-filled mattress 12 to be placed therein. The frame 11 has four walls which can be wood, reinforced plastic, aluminum or other rigid material of suitable weight and shape.

A vertical, free standing modular deck grid 13 for supporting the water mattress 12 above the floor surface lies within the walled frame 11. The deck grid 13 comprises a series of rigid, waterproofed, interconnecting cardboard slats 14 which extend across the interior area defined by the walled frame 11. The slats 14 contact the interior of the frame 11 at points 12. The slats M are partially slit along their intersecting planes, rendering the grid construction diagonally collapsible to a closed position as illustrated in FIG. 2. Once the deck grid I3 is in place within the support 10, however, the frame lll holds the grid 13 in a rigid, open position as shown in FIG. ll.

The interconnecting slats 14 define a series of integral cells 15 within the deck grid 13. The reduced area of each cell 15, as compared with the entire area of the deck grid 13, provides a relatively small area (in this embodiment, a small square) for supporting a complementary small increment of the weight of the water mattress 12. The interconnecting slats l4 define a series of cooperating rigid cellular support structures which provide a uniform support across the surface area of the water-filled mattress 12. The mattress 12 thereby exerts a distributed downward force across the entire surface of the supporting deck grid. The grid thus provides a means for supporting the mattress 12 above the floor surface without concentrating the weight of the mattress 12 at any single area in the support III.

It can be appreciated that the frame of the present invention could comprise a single-unit deck grid 13 extending across the entire area defined by the interior of the frame ll. However, it is preferable to provide a number of smaller grid units 13 which can be placed side by side to make up a larger unit in order to facilitate handling and storage of the deck grid I3 when the water mattress is not in use. Thus as shown in FIG. 1, the deck grid 13 comprises four units which lie in the frame 11 in a contiguous relationship with two L- shaped dividers I6. The dividers 16, as shown in FIG. 3, are of the same depth as the intersecting slats M and act as spacers between the grid units 13 to hold them securely against lateral movement within the frame 1 l.

A floor member 17 rests upon the deck grid 13 to provide a smooth planar surface for the flexible waterfilled mattress 12. The floor member comprises a waterproofed foldable cardboard unit as shown in FIG. 4 which covers the entire area of the grid 13.

A watertight vinyl liner 18 secured about the upper periphery of the frame 11 is draped down the interior walls of the frame 11 and covers the floor member 17.

The water-filled mattress 12 is nested in the liner 18. Should a rupture occur in the mattress 12, the liner 18 provides a container for the escaping water, preventing damage to the structure on which the bed is placed and adjacent furniture, plaster, etc. The mattress lies in a substantially contiguous relationship with the interior walls of the frame thus preventing bulging of the sidewalls. The frame ll, the deck grid 13 and the floor member 17 thereby provide means for supporting the water mattress 12 above the floor and containing the mattress against bulging and rupturing of the sidewalls. The entire structure is collapsible and can be folded flat for shipment or storage when not in use. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment described above may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A water bed construction including a resilient water-filled mattress, a modular deck grid having a length and width generally corresponding to said mattress and comprised of a plurality of laterally extending support members extending lengthwise and width-wise of said mattress in criss-cross fashion to define a plurality of open air cells below said mattress, each cell being defined by adjacent intersecting lateral members, the top and bottom surfaces of which lie in common planes respectively with the height of said lateral members being such that said mattress is supported at bed level above the support floor and a horizontal support tray extending substantially across the dimensions of said mattress and said deck grid between the lower surface of said mattress and the upper surfaces of said lateral support members to provide a generally planar support surface for said mattress with the weight thereof distributed over the area of the support floor covered by said modular deck grid.

2. The water bed construction of claim 1 which further includes a vertical walled frame surrounding the periphery of said mattress.

3. The water bed construction of claim 1 wherein said lateral support members are a plurality of elongate slats partially slotted at their lines of intersection to receive a partially slotted intersecting member.

4. The water bed construction of claim 1 wherein said modular deck grid is comprised of a number of individual units adjacent each other within the area of said mattress, each of said units including a plurality of laterally extending support members intersecting one another in criss-cross fashion to define said open air cells, with the adjacent borders of each of said individual units being separated by a laterally extending separator member effective to space said units from one another. 

1. A water bed construction including a resilient water-filled mattress, a modular deck grid having a length and width generally corresponding to said mattress and comprised of a plurality of laterally extending support members extending lengthwise and width-wise of said mattress in criss-cross fashion to define a plurality of open air cells below said mattress, each cell being defined by adjacent intersecting lateral members, the top and bottom surfaces of which lie in common planes respectively with the height of said lateral members being such that said mattress is supported at bed level above the support floor and a horizontal support tray extending substantially across the dimensions of said mattress and said deck grid between the lower surface of said mattress and the upper surfaces of said lateral support members to provide a generally planar support surface for said mattress with the weight thereof distributed over the area of the support floor covered by said modular deck grid.
 2. The water bed construction of claim 1 which further includes a vertical walled frame surrounding the periphery of said mattress.
 3. The water bed construction of claim 1 wherein said lateral support members are a plurality of elongate slats partially slotted at their lines of intersection to receive a partially slotted intersecting member.
 4. The water bed construction of claim 1 wherein said modular deck grid is comprised of a number of individual units adjacent each other within the area of said mattress, each of said units including a plurality of laterally extending support members intersecting one another in criss-cross fashion to define said open air cells, with the adjacent borders of each of said individual units being separated by a laterally extending separator member effective to space said units from one another. 